Abstract
Mammography is an effective screening modality for the early detection of breast cancer. The reduction in breast cancer mortality is greater for women aged over 50 at screening than for women aged under 50. Mammography can also contribute to an understanding of the biology of breast cancer. Screening trials provide good evidence for the dedifferentiation of a cancer as it develops over time, and the age dependency of this dedifferentiation explains much of the age difference in the effectiveness of screening. Mammographic density is an important predictor of future breast cancer risk, and has potential as an early endpoint in breast cancer prevention trials. Mammographic density is also an important determinant of mammographic screening sensitivity.
MeSH terms
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Adipose Tissue / pathology
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Adult
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Age Factors
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Aged
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Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal / therapeutic use
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Breast Neoplasms / diagnostic imaging
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Breast Neoplasms / drug therapy
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Breast Neoplasms / mortality
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Breast Neoplasms / pathology
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Breast Neoplasms / prevention & control*
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Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / diagnostic imaging
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Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / mortality
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Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / pathology
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Cell Differentiation
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Clinical Trials as Topic / statistics & numerical data
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Disease Progression
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Epithelial Cells / pathology
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Female
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Humans
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Mammography* / statistics & numerical data
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Mass Screening / methods*
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Mass Screening / statistics & numerical data
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Middle Aged
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Prognosis
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Random Allocation
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Research Design
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Risk
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Sensitivity and Specificity
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Stromal Cells / pathology
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Survival Analysis
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Sweden
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Tamoxifen / therapeutic use
Substances
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Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal
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Tamoxifen